WE know one thing for certain, God's voice is best heard in the context of a community of faith .
Once again we hear from Jeremiah that he was the son of a priest named Hilkiah from Anathoth, a town just north of Jerusalem that was one of the cities assigned to the priestly class of Levites. Growing up within a priestly community, Jeremiah would have known the stories about Abraham, Moses, Samuel and many others who had heard God's call. He would have been schooled in regular prayer, and would have witnessed the people of his village poring over sacred books to determine God's will and way for their lives.
The voice of God came to Jeremiah, not out of the blue, but in the context of a community devoted to God; a community where people discerned God's voice together.
In a world where technology rules. In a world where technology tends to isolate people. Where we "talk"with someone online instead of with friends or family, we need to remember that we're wired to hear God's voice best within community.
It's in community that we can check the inner stirrings of our hearts with others who can help us discern the voice of God through Scripture, worship and prayer. Having a regular connection to Christian community is a key to making sure that the voice we're hearing is actually God's, and not simply an advertisement for our own desires.
The voice of God came to Jeremiah, not out of the blue, but in the context of a community devoted to God; a community where people discerned God's voice together.
In a world where technology rules. In a world where technology tends to isolate people. Where we "talk"with someone online instead of with friends or family, we need to remember that we're wired to hear God's voice best within community.
It's in community that we can check the inner stirrings of our hearts with others who can help us discern the voice of God through Scripture, worship and prayer. Having a regular connection to Christian community is a key to making sure that the voice we're hearing is actually God's, and not simply an advertisement for our own desires.
